Pay Day Comes Months Late For Morrisville Instructor

Computer training is big business. Qualified instructors are in demand and can be paid well for their services. That was the case for Dawn Barnett.

"I loved teaching. I did a good job teaching," she said.

Barnett said that was the case until she became a contract instructor for Raleigh-based Productivity Point International.

"I was broke. I had to borrow money from my friends and family," Barnett said.

Barnett taught technical training classes for the company from May through September 2001.

Based on end-of-class evaluations from some of her students, she did a good job.

Among the comments: "Dawn is an excellent instructor.," "Very informative and enthusiastic," "Dawn was very knowledgeable," "I highly recommend her to others."

So why was Barnett so broke? She said it was because Productivity Point did not pay her like they were supposed to.

"Usually, whenever I started to ask for money, I would get it. But they became progressively later and later and later," she said.

Barnett said that in October, when the company still owed her $6,300, it simply stopped paying her altogether -- no matter how many times she asked.

"In early November, I sent out e-mail Monday through Friday, every day, to the CEO, the training manager. I never got an e-mail message back or a phone call or anything," she said.

Barnett also said that voice mail messages were never returned. Even going to Productivity Point in person got her nowhere.

"It was very frustrating, a very frustrating experience," she said.

Finally, in December, Barnett contacted Five On Your Side. Five On Your Side called Productivity Point.

A representative would only say that, "Things fell through the cracks" and that they are "very sorry."

Productivity Point immediately sent Barnett a check for $6,300. Barnett calls it a Godsend and said that she is just thrilled to finally be able to pay her bills.

Anyone who has a wage dispute with an employer, or any other labor-related issue, should call the

North Carolina Department of Labor

at 1-800-NC-LABOR.

Barnett is now employed with another company and is receiving a paycheck.